Superintendent John O’Brien was surprised after he delivered a presentation to
school counselors in Anchorage when the Alaska School Counselor Association
(AkSCA) recognized him as their Advocate of the Year! “The Advocate of the Year
award recognizes a special individual or group for their assistance in
furthering the mission of school counselors in Alaska,” wrote @MyAkSCA. “The
Advocate of the Year may have developed or implemented a new program that affects
the well-being of students and staff; they may have initiated improvement in
counseling services; or they may have provided outstanding opportunities for
the professional growth of counselors. Whether an administrator, community
group, or other individual in or out of the school environment, the recipient
of this award represents true advocacy for our profession.”
"This
recognition by our State's School Counselors is perhaps one of the most
meaningful awards that I have received in my career as a professional educator.
Our school counselors play such a vital role in the social and emotional
well-being of our students. They build capacity in our schools by assisting our
teachers, support staff, and school administrators to understand the importance
of educating the whole child.” –Superintendent
John O'Brien, Kenai Peninsula Borough School District
Skyview Middle School counselor Natalie Kant wrote in
the nomination for O’Brien, “I have worked in the KPBSD for 30 years. Of those
years, I have been a school counselor for 16 years. Throughout my time with
KPBSD, I have seen Superintendent O'Brien always support school counselors. At
one point in his career, he was the Director of Secondary Education and oversaw
all of the district counselors for four years. Through his leadership and
district influence, counselors' voices have been heard. He worked on removing
non-counseling duties from counselor's plates, and his efforts led to school
counselors no longer had to be school assessment coordinators.
I remember when counselors wanted to be evaluated by
the ASCA (American School Counselor Association) national model instead of the
same rubric used by teachers. He allowed school counselors to create a district
evaluation tool that aligns with the ASCA National Model. This evaluation tool
continues in our district. Because of his continuous support of school
counselors, Skyview Middle School and Soldotna High School have become RAMP
(Recognized American School Counseling Association Model Program) schools.
Making history, these are the first ever RAMP schools in the state!”
What difference does a school counselor professional
make in a school? In 2013, former Alaska Governor Sean Parnell proclaimed,
“School counselors are an integral part of the educational process and work closely
with teachers, administrators, fellow educators, and parents to assist students
in exploring their potential and setting realistic academic and career goals.”
Congratulations Superintendent O’Brien! Together let us celebrate our
school counselors, district leadership, and the many ways school counselors
assist students, families, and coworkers to create a positive school culture!